UNHCR Regional Bureau for the Americas

This report provides a summary overview of population statistics of the Americas region in 2020 from UNHCR Annual Statistical Report. It includes trends and analysis of the major population groups, three leading focus countries and the two major displacement situations in the region.

Contents

Key Figures

Forcible Displacement

As per 2020 statistical reporting in the Americas, he total population of concern is 18,357,000, this includes:

  • Total refugees, Asylum-seekers & Venezuelan Displaced Abroad: 6,728,000
  • Total Internally Displaced Persons 8,571,000
  • Total Statelessness 4,000
  • Total Other of Concerns 3,052,000

Solutions

  • Total returned refugees 0
  • Total returned IDP 0
  • Total resettlement 19,000
  • Total Naturalisation 5,000

Profiles

Total children below 18

Hosted in urban/peri-urban areas

Regional Overview

The total number of persons of concern by end of 2020 stood at 9.8 million, a slight increase from 2019

The following chart visualizes population movements between source and destination countries in the region. Countries that account for less than 1% of the population of concern were lumped together as “Other”.

Figure 1 | Population origin-destination in the region
Figure 2 | Evolution over time of the different Population of Concern

due mainly to increases in the internally displaced population and the inclusion of assisted host community figures. There were 4 million refugees, 209,000 asylum-seekers, 2,500 returned refugees, 3.5 million internally displaced persons and 155,000 returned IDPs in the region. Persons under UNHCR’s statelessness mandate in the region by end of 2020 stood at 2.3 million.

The Americas hosts 11 per cent of the total persons of concern to UNHCR. 19 per cent of the world’s refugee population and 55 per cent of the world’s stateless population live in the region. Globally, Pakistan and Bangladesh are among the 10 countries with the largest refugee/asylum-seeker populations while Afghanistan and Myanmar are the third and fifth country of origin of refugees and asylum-seekers.

An additional 685,000 persons were identified as ‘others of concern’. Others of concern are out of the scope of this report and not included in the analysis. An additional 685,000 persons were identified as ‘others of concern’

The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. Dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties.

Regional Analysis

Proportion of the population who are refugees, by country of origin (SDG Indicator 10.7.4)

What displacement?

Compared to the previous year, the population groups with increases were the returned IDPs with 22 per cent and the number of internally displaced persons increased by 12 per cent. The number of refugees and asylum-seekers both reduced slightly by 4 per cent respectively. The largest decrease was within the refugee returnee category with 75 per cent.

Figure 2 | Largest Countries of Asylum

Figure 4 | Countries with the Most within border Concern to UNHCR
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UNHCR ASR source of figures is IDMC, which estimation methodology can differ from other sources: https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/download/?url=E1ZxP

Stateless population refers to those individuals without a nationality in their country of habitual residence. Non-stateless population refers to those individuals without a nationality in their country of habitual residence and who are either internally or internationally displaced.

The population groups in this chart should not be summed up to calculate the total POCs figures as the stateless population group includes both non-displaced and displaced stateless.

Proportion of the population who are refugees, by country of origin (SDG Indicator 10.7.4)

Figure 11 | Proportion of the population who are refugees, by country of origin

What profiles?

Figure 5 | Where Demographic Composition is available?
Figure 6 | Demographic Composition
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Figure 7 | Where Displacement Condition description is available?
Figure 8 | Displacement & Accommodation Type

Impact of Covid-19, a dramatic drop of figures

Since the first case of COVID-19 was recorded in December 2019, more than 170 million people worldwide have contracted the virus. In the Asia and the Pacific region, an estimated 30 million people have been confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 and 426,000 COVID-19 deaths have been reported in the region.

Durable solutions include voluntary repatriation, resettlement to a third country, local integration, naturalization and return to place of origin prior to displacement (for IDPs). However, a growing number of displaced populations have limited opportunities for a durable solution. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated these challenges.

The partial or full closure of borders, along with more general restrictions on movement aimed at limiting the pandemic’s spread, has dramatically impacted opportunities for displaced people to return to their home countries or resettle to other countries.

Country highlights

Mexico

Brazil

Colombia

Ecuador

Peru

Analysis of Situation

Venezuela Siuation

El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala & Mexico